176 Miscellanies. 



echo sounds as if reverberated from objects more and more distant, and 

 with distances very equally graduated, yet the eye can fix upon nothing 

 but the barns, and the range of hills opposite. 



The echo reflects back every tone, and undulation of the voice, with 

 the utmost accuracy. 



An echo is heard out of the line of the barns. 



2. Analysis of Marl from Farmington, Conn. ; by Prof E. Hitch- 

 cock. — I have made an analysis of the Farmington marl, which you sent 

 me, and the result is as follows, in 100 grains heated to 300° ; 



Sulphate of lime, - - - . 2.1 



Carbonate " -• - - - 66.3 



Phosphate " - ... 0.4 



Soluble geine, - - - - 3.1 



Insoluble " .... 9.7 



Silica, alumina, iron, &/C., ... 18.4 



This is certainly a rich marl, and I have been surprised to learn that 

 the farmers in Farmington have nearly given up its use. Either a great 

 deal of experience in Europe, and some in this country, must go for noth- 

 ing, or this marl can be made of great value. — Letter to Prof. S. 



3, Tabular View of the price of labor and subsistence in certain parts 

 of Continental Europe. 



To Prof. Silliman. — Dear Sir — While travelling on the Continent 

 of Europe, about five years since, I endeavored to ascertain, in the coun- 

 tries through which I was passing, how comfortable a person could make 

 himself by his own unassisted labor. I supposed that the wages paid to a 

 stout healthy laborer on a farm, might be taken as a fair sample of the 

 price of labor, and my inquiries were made chiefly of such persons as 

 they presented themselves in the fields by the way-side, although some- 

 times I extended them also to tradesmen. At the same time, I endeav- 

 ored to learn the prices of provisions, &-c. The investigation was made 

 in a desultory manner; I have since regretted that it was not prosecuted 

 more industriously and with more system ; but the results, such as they 

 are, may be interesting to the public. 



My course during these inquiries was from Trieste to Vienna, thence 

 by Saltzburg, and through the Tyrol, to Constance, by Zurich and Basle 

 to Strasburg and Carlsruhe, and so along the banks of the Rhine to Hol- 

 land. The money, weights, &c., of the different countries, are here re- 

 duced to the American Standard. The time when the inquiries were 

 made was in August, September and October. 



